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12 of November 2008

Full Moon 12th Lunar month, Loy Krathong (called Yi Peng in the north), the most romantic night on the Thai calendar, this year falls on Wednesday, November 12.

Loy Krathong festival in Bangkok

Loy Krathong, the “festival of lights” on the full moon of November. This is one of the Kingdom’s oldest and best-preserved traditions. Loy Krathong mean “flotaing Krathongs.” This is an offering to mother of water to ask her to forgive us for polluting the water. Krathong is a little cup shaped like a lotus flower, each with a candle and incense stick inside. The river-based culture that forms the foundation of the traditional Thai way of life, it is widely believed that these are offerings made to Mae Khongkha – Mother of Waters in an act of appeasement. Made of banana leaves, and decorated with incense and candles, thousands of these beautiful boats light up the night.Coins are also placed in the krathong as offerings. The most beautiful sights are at the Bang Sai Arts & Crafts Centre near Ayutthaya, and in the ruins of Sukhothai, the first Thai capital, where the festival is supposed to have originated. Many also believe that by setting adrift the krathong, one symbollically casts away one’s grief, misery and ill-fortunes. Loi Krathong is the time to make wishes for happiness together and success in love.

Loy Krathong in Chiang May

The Thai believe their misfortunes float away with the lanterns. Thousands of Yee Peng, candlelit floating lanterns, were released in Thailand on the full moon, 12th Lunar month of November. Loi Krathong customs and traditions reflect local beliefs and cultural evolution and interesting regional variations can be seen. In Tak province, the banana-leaf floats are replaced by coconut shells which are threaded together and launched simultaneously so they appear as long chains of hundreds of glittering lights on the Ping River, hence the origin of its name, “Loi Krathong Sai”. It’s believed that krathongs can carry away sins or bad luck, and represent the time to start the coming new year with hope of being joyful one and all sufferings are floated away with the krathong.